Dan Neil produced a commanding midfield performance, scoring twice to guide Rangers into the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals with a 3-0 victory over Celtic, drawing immediate comparisons to club legend Barry Ferguson.
Ferguson’s former Ibrox teammate Peter Lovenkrands praised the 24-year-old’s influence, stating that Neil “ran the show from the start” during Sunday’s match.
“On the ball he never lost a pass, simple things, he was doing everything right,” Lovenkrands told BBC Radio Scotland. “I’ve not seen a performance like that since Barry Ferguson in the way he controlled the midfield.”
Neil, who signed a three-year contract in July and was quickly appointed to Derek McInnes’ leadership group, opened the scoring in the 23rd minute with a precise low shot from the edge of the box. He added a second later in the game to cap off a comprehensive win.
McInnes highlighted the collective strength of his midfield trio, which included Nicolas Raskin and James Penrice, but singled out Neil’s impact. “Dan is going to get highlighted for his goals—two different types of finishes—but we knew we could occupy that space on the edge of the box if we attacked properly,” the manager said. “You still need people to step up and show their quality and Dan did that.”
The performance marked a high point in Neil’s short time at Ibrox, as he outplayed experienced opponents such as Celtic captain Callum McGregor and Benjamin Nygren. At one stage, Neil skillfully spun McGregor, leaving the Celtic skipper behind—a moment emblematic of Rangers’ overall control throughout the 90 minutes.
Speaking to Premier Sports, Neil credited the team’s preparation and unity. “It was a great team performance. We fully deserved the victory out there,” he said. “In the last few games we’ve done well without the ball. Today we wanted to use the crowd and get after them—the lads executed it perfectly.”
Neil also commended McInnes’ pre-match instructions: “The gaffer is good before games and he made sure we were ready to run through brick walls. That togetherness and cohesion has really come on recently.”
Rangers and Celtic will renew their rivalry again next Sunday in the Scottish Premiership, with Celtic hosting Ferencvaros in the Europa League on Thursday prior to the visit to Celtic Park.
McInnes expressed satisfaction with his squad’s resilience during a challenging period. “It gives so much encouragement to the club, fans, the board as to what we’re capable of,” he said. “I love the togetherness; I need to have this team who cares for each other, has love for each other.”
Lovenkrands calling it the best since Ferguson seems like a bit of a reach, but Neil certainly dominated this particular game efficiently.
Glad to see someone finally stepping up after that messy cup run last year. This feels like the start of something special at Ibrox.
I didn’t realize he was only 24. That spin on McGregor was brutal—Callum looked completely lost for a good chunk of that match.
Barry Ferguson comparisons are high praise indeed. If Dan Neil can maintain this level, Rangers’ midfield is going to be feared again.